Worn Scarves
by ChatNoirChanceux
Summary: Lucy had lost all faith in the idea of romance. Why bother with the hope of someone sweeping you off your feet? However, she had no idea that a not-so-perfect man in a worn scarf would soon do just that. Definite Nalu. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

For her, it was always a struggle to understand romance.

Lucy loved to read romance novels in the safety of her corner booth of the local coffee shop. The owner had been good friends with her father and had always welcomed her into his home and shop with open arms. However, Lucy rarely accepted any kind of help from him or anyone for that matter, because she felt the need to prove that she could do things on her own. She had been faced with the question many times before on who she was really trying to prove it to, but her answer always came up short. Her reluctance to receive help had only hindered her already nonexistent love life and in the end she preferred to hide away in her corner booth. She and her best friend Levy McGarden often bickered on the reliability of romance novels. Levy claimed that one day the perfect gentleman would show her his heart but Lucy knew that Levy had a thing for bad boys and while Lucy argued against the idea of a perfect man, the concept was enticing. How could someone magically appear with qualities well suited to yours and just sweep you off your feet? Well, little did she know, something of that nature would soon happen to her.

It was a cool autumn day that Lucy had chosen to read in the park in order to spice up her life a little. Ever since leaving home, she had not ventured too far from her repetitive lifestyle in Magnolia. Perhaps, it was a way to self-assure her stability that she had a constant job and schedule. But, all in all… it was boring. Lucy had left home craving adventure, only to find her self caught in another set of routine schedule events that recurred each week.

In the current moment she found her mind drifting from the rather unrealistic and sappy romance novel in her hand. She thought about the story of her book although she was in no way trying very hard to read it. The female protagonist was an eternal damsel in distress, a thought that put Lucy's nerves on edge. That idea had never been popular with her. Nonetheless, the hero sported some fairly average features for a novel's handsome prince: flowing blonde hair, chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, and biceps bulging from the sleeves of his shirt, so much so that even through the words of the book the indication of him flexing held the possibility of poking her eye out. That didn't sound too captivating. Sure, the prince had his good points like excellent timing and an ego the size of Mount Hakobe, but Lucy found him rather revolting.

Thinking back to her schooling, she recalled she had rarely seen any of her male associates as attractive, and if she did they certainly did not fit this description. _Still_ , she thought, _it would be nice for someone I found attractive to vie for my attention._ Then, she thought of her mother and some of the things she had said to her in her final years of life, the most prominent being: "Don't lose faith, dear. I know that you question the idea of a princess and her prince charming but remember that the ones we love aren't always the main characters, yes? The only thing I want you to do is find someone who treats you like a princess. What's wrong with falling in love with a dragon if he treats you like a his treasure?"

She shivered at the old memory though her body was neatly wrapped in the same tweed coat her mother had passed on to her and her neck wrapped in a nice wholesome scarf of worn reds and oranges. Though the old thing was faded, it was clear that the pattern had once been quite impressive as her shapely neck was wrapped in wooly flames. Lucy chuckled slightly despite herself. Really, it was rather funny that her mother would say such a thing but Lucy had always been drawn to images of dragons and the burning of the fireplace. The thought drew out a side of her she had feared was gone for good: hope. _Have faith_ , her mother had said and so, have faith she would.

With that thought in her head she abruptly stood up only to be knocked from her feet and onto an abnormally warm surface. Lucy had always had a fear of falling, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. This event had only brought out her fear and she clung to the unsuspecting surface with an intense grip. Her eyes glued shut, she squealed when she heard an unexpectedly human grunt from beneath her. Balling her fists into that loose fabric she clung to, she peeked her eyes open to find the confused stare of a man about her age. She must be hallucinating. This man had vibrant salmon-colored hair. No way, she opened her eyes again to see the same eyes and the same hair. To be certain she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. What happened next seemed to surprise them both because as she tested the reality of his hair, her fingernails scraped lightly along his scalp and a pleasurable groan escaped his mouth. Her eyes snapped to his and they both scrambled away from each other in an attempt to save some of their dignity, seeing as she had just run her fingers through a total stranger's hair and he had just nonverbally admitted his enjoyment. Both sitting on the sidewalk about 5 feet from the other, they were awkwardly making an honest effort to have a staring contest with an inanimate object far from the vicinity of the other's face.

Lucy absentmindedly noticed a breeze, and her gaze was drawn to the salmon locks gently swaying in the wind. His hair had been very soft. She took the opportunity to take in the rest of his obviously flustered form. He, whoever he was, was undeniably handsome. The former description of the hero's form seemed to pale in comparison, at least to Lucy. His chin was chiseled but softly, so that he had an almost childlike innocence that Lucy could appreciate if he truly was 22 like she was. His arms were not grotesquely muscular but were still very pronounced and showed that he used them on a regular basis, as was evident with the rest of his musculature. His shoulders, though broad, were very well proportioned to his height. Though appreciative of these clearly becoming features, Lucy was captivated by his eyes. Obsidian in color and tempting in slant, his eyes showed a world so new and exciting that Lucy made the choice then and there; she wasn't going to succumb to the tedious behavior of her current life.

Little did Lucy know, the man she had collided with was the one and only Natsu Dragneel, owner of Brimstone Adventures, the amusement park, and he was doing some sizing up himself. Natsu was wealthy by birth as his father had entrusted him with the care of his beloved dragon-themed amusement park. However, he had also forced Natsu to attend public schooling and to partake in community service projects. Through his father's teachings, the young man had become both successful and kind hearted, but he was still a man and there was no denying Lucy's beauty. Strangely though she was bundled in layers and dressed in a somewhat shabby coat and scarf, Natsu still found her ineffably gorgeous. Her state of dress gave an air of modesty and the worn nature of her clothes implied a warm and understanding heart. All in all, Natsu was mesmerized by her beauty and the warmth in her eyes. Not to mention she clearly wore the flame patterned scarf on a regular basis, connecting her to him both through her love of fire and the sentimentality of a scarf. Natsu wanted to know her and so without further ado he spoke:

"Why the flaming scarf?"

Immediately jumping on the defensive she retorted with a curt: "Why the salmon hair?"

"I like you already."

"What?" The confusion was evident in the way her eyebrows arched and she gazed at him for an explanation:

"You didn't call my hair pink."


	2. Chapter 2

A few weeks later, Lucy found herself laying in her bed late at night smiling and thinking of the irony in her life. The mysterious man had introduced himself as Natsu Dragneel. Of course, she immediately recognized the name: the owner of the only tourist attraction in Magnolia and sponsor of the Fantasia parade. He was basically a local celebrity and known for the unusual color of his hair, but Lucy had met him under completely spontaneous circumstances and she had instantly taken a liking to him. He had made her laugh from the moment he opened his mouth and she hadn't laughed from her heart since before her mother's death. The park encounter had ended with the exchange of numbers and a promise to meet up again. He claimed he would text her as soon as he could. So, she waited patiently for about 30 minutes before she received a message on her phone:

 _Hey! It's me, Natsu! I was wondering when you wanted to meet._

Lucy had burst out laughing at the fact that he had no sense of timing or anxiety towards seeming too excited. She supposed that's what made him unique, his undeniable fearlessness towards life. Of course, sitting in the library next to Levy, she was hushed by numerous people and sent a questioning look from her best friend. This only made her crack up more until she announced she would be taking her leave, still chuckling to herself. She knew there would be much questioning from the little bookworm later but she needed to get some air to respond to his eager text.

She returned to her beloved coffee shop and sent a curt reply telling him that the decision was up to him. Loving this new feeling blooming in her chest, she ordered a coffee and started reading, awaiting the next message. She didn't have to wait very long, for his response was almost instantaneous, giving a very detailed account of their next meeting. They were to meet the next day at the base of Mt. Hakobe at 9 for a nice, daytime hike. Natsu claimed it would be a great way to get to know each other and Lucy was never one to back down from challenge.

The following morning had been hectic for Lucy as she bickered with herself on what to wear. Physical exertion, while not completely out of her comfort zone, was something she was unaccustomed to. All the while, she feared that perhaps she should be looking at the situation as a date and truly trying to be beautiful. At last she settled with the words of her late, sage of a mother: "If you have to work really hard to impress him it's not worth it." With that, Lucy decided on a well-worn pair of athletic leggings and a simple tank top, finishing it off with the infamous scarf. Setting of towards the mountain's base, she thought of the day ahead and the new feeling in her chest returned.

Natsu was waiting there for her. An unadulterated look of happiness in his smile, he pulled a jacket from the back seat of his car.

"I guessed you'd never climbed Mt. Hakobe and let's just say it gets cold."

The only things that Lucy could muster were a soft "Oh…" and a sheepish shrug of the shoulders as he draped the thick, red windbreaker over her. She pulled her hands through the long sleeves, noting the oaky smell that saturated it and the warmth his hands radiated. Blushing slightly, he grabbed her hand and headed towards the path, saying "Now… let's continue on our adventure."


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy almost teared up at the sentimentality of it all. After all of the time she spent looking for an adventure in her books, this man just pulled her into one. Not that she minded. Of course, as they scaled the mountain the temperatures dropped and eventually Natsu remembered that Lucy wasn't quite up to speed with him. He slowed down and realized that she was actually struggling a bit with the thinner air and rocky terrain. So he asked:

"Do you need to take a break?"

She puffed the bangs from her face and commented with an almost raspy "I'm fine."

He chuckled good-naturedly and admired her perseverance for a few moments before responding.

"Well, I am actually getting a little worn out how about we sit for just a few minutes, please?"

She huffed for a moment, but deep down she knew that she needed a break but her pride wouldn't let it happen unless he _needed_ it. So, when he claimed to be tired she plopped down without a second thought. From her position on the ground, she could see him smiling at her and she felt awkward under his gaze. In an effort to break her discomfort she asked: "So I've noticed you wear that scarf a lot and I was wondering if you might tell me the story behind it. I mean I've never seen anything like it." Natsu stiffened slightly at the question and Lucy feared she had accidentally trodden on dangerous earth, but soon he turned to look at her with tears in his eyes and spoke.

"Well, nobody's ever asked before so I haven't told the story to anybody but here goes. When I was little, my pops always talked about how one day his dream of a great Dragon-Park would be realized. Each night he would tell me stories of dragons, who won the princesses' hearts instead of some stuck-up prince. Well, on my 10th birthday, pops opened up the theme park and gave me this scarf in representation of dragon scales to make sure I remembered the power of dreams. I don't like to take it off because of two things. I think it keeps me focused on the future and wanting to succeed for dad's sake, but also I feel like it covers up a small part of me and gives me some protection. So, you know when dad died last July I wore it and remembered to believe in dreams."

Lucy tugged at the woolen threads of her scarf absently; clearly her mind was caught in another time. "It's almost as if it lends you strength when you need it most and shows you love is real." Natsu gaped at her in both awe and astonishment. It was clear that this girl understood him on a level entirely different from even his closest friends. "Exactly."

The hike was comfortably silent for a while before Natsu filled the air with laughter and jokes again. Lucy's initial misgivings had faded and she allowed herself to enjoy the refreshing nature of Natsu's company, but soon they found themselves nearing a relatively flat area and Natsu became aware that night was falling more quickly than he expected. Under normal circumstances, he would have practically run up the mountain and made it back down by sunset but Lucy was slowing him down. Not that he disliked it. In fact, he made note of how nice it was to slow down and travel at a leisurely pace. Natsu Dragneel had always travelled quickly; while enjoying life, he never really stopped to examine his life and the world around him, at least not without his sister making him.

So, while he sat down on a rock and allowed the blonde to rest, he took the opportunity to really look at her. Shapely hips and legs hugged by the spandex of her leggings, she was a sight for sore eyes. The over-sized jacket that he had lent her hung loose on body, giving her an almost childlike look of innocence. In his eyes she was perfect.

Though his social status and handsome complexion would make him a highly sought after young man, he had only had one real love interest before Lucy. Her name had been Lisanna and they had dated for several years in high school, but their relationship never truly took flight because of their initial sibling-like upbringing. And while Lisanna had been beautiful, he had never been able to see her that way and Lucy, in his mind, had long since surpassed Lisanna's beauty and charm. She truly had a kind and caring heart. Natsu could tell.

He had also become hyperaware to the fact that his initial affections toward her were quickly growing into something heavy and untamable. Of course, he feared that he would fall in love with her too quickly for his own good but it was nearly impossible not to fall for the blonde bombshell. He knew she was no damsel in distress but he was worried that if she was too fragile, he could inadvertently hurt her. He had never been a fan of the feeble and fearful girls who seemed to think it was cute. In his opinion, girls could be just as strong as men and Erza Scarlet the owner of downtown bakery, Deadly Delectables, was proof of that. He had always wanted a woman who could handle stress and have his back as much as he would in turn have hers. Lucy seemed to fit the bill but he hadn't really seen her in action yet and he couldn't wait. Maybe she would be exactly what he was searching for.

He was shaken from his thoughts quite literally when Lucy grabbed his shoulder and wobbled it in desperation, eyes filled with determination and…was that fear?

"Natsu! Are you listening? There's someone screaming; we have to help them." And with that she took off in the direction of the mannish yells.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Lucy was searching frantically trying to pinpoint the direction the yells were emerging from, but try as she might she was struggling. She let out a groan and turned on her heels to face Natsu, who was still quite dazed she noted.

"I can't figure out where it's coming from." She commented offhandedly. Her eyes darted around as she tried again when the screaming became more frantic.

"Over there." She looked to him, startled by his abrupt comment. "It's coming from over there." Though confused by his ability to tell, she didn't question him. Instead, she took off in the indicated direction.

As they approached the sound, she began to see telltale signs of a struggle: upturned soil, plants pulled up by the stems, and what appeared to be a well-worn baseball cap? She crouched down to pick up the cap when a gasp pulled her attention back to Natsu. He stared at the cap in her hands with wide, horrified eyes.

"No. This cannot be happening." At this point she really took a look at the article in her hands. She could faintly make out the logo of none other than the popular amusement park Brimstone Adventures and the word staff written on the back. In messy stitching the name CONBOLT was sewn into the inner rim and it was clearly the newest hat design.

Understanding his fear but knowing the consequences of staying, she bolted up and said: "Come on. No time to lose, so let's go help this Conbolt fellow shall we?"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looked up and soon a grin of childlike adoration filled his face. Natsu was a CEO. Never before had anyone told him he needed to get up and get a move on like this girl and he loved it. She didn't know what she was up against or whom she was helping, but it didn't matter. Natsu knew she was right and so after recovering from his shock, he too jumped into action.

Off they ran toward the sounds of pain and he had never felt freer. So much so that he began to feel guilty that while his good friend and employee Macao Conbolt was in trouble, he was gallivanting in the exhilarating feeling of Miss Lucy. The screams soon faded and the lovely feeling in his heart was replaced with the burning sensation in his chest indicating his anxiousness when Lucy darted out into a clearing in the line of sight of a huge bear, an unconscious Macao lying on the ground beside it. The clearing was on a cliff that looked over the city and Natsu could recall a time when he had been here with his father. He was almost swallowed by nostalgia but his notice was pulled to Lucy and he stood confounded at what she had done.

She froze and slowly crouched. Guided by adrenaline and a need to save the man on the ground, she picked up a bunch of stones and began pelting the bear with them. The beast reared up and charged at her. She could hear Natsu yelling but she couldn't make out what it was that he said. She had bigger problems aka the monster approaching. She darted to the side and allowed the bear to regain its bearings before taking off down a nonexistent trail. In her haste, she didn't tell Natsu what her plan was so he too took the situation into his "control."

Natsu's plan? Lure it to the edge of the cliff. Easier said than done, of course. So, he stole her idea and began to throw stones at the bear peeling it off of Lucy's trail. He turned his back to the cliff and continued his pebble onslaught. The bear soon grew aggravated and charged him but the result was not what he had intended. He tried to dodge the beast's claws but instead it caught a bit of his shoulder and threw him off kilter. The bear was falling but Natsu stumbled back and felt the ground leave his feet. The fall had jostled him and his scarf had fluttered away from his neck. In an innate reaction he attempted to reach for the rocky edge but couldn't reach it. Eyes closed he let himself feel the wind.

It was short lived. Suddenly his hand had something to grab onto and he collided with the rocky side of the cliff. He looked up to see Lucy, one arm struggling to keep him and the other tangled tightly in the white scarf he called his own. In a move of great strength she helped pull him up onto the ledge again. She tumbled back onto the grass and heaved a sigh of satisfaction. He lay down beside her and sighed himself.

"What were you thinking?" he probed in a voice perhaps a little too harsh he noted as the hurt in her eyes appeared. However, as soon as it appeared it was gone, replaced with a fierce determination.

"I am no damsel in distress. I have your back as I assume you have mine; don't think you need to go saving me all the time. And try not to lose your scarf." She shot back throwing the scarf into his face with a smirk. At this he burst out laughing and with an "Oh I know you're no damsel" he captured her lips with his own.

Then, he felt her. He felt her smile against his lips before sinking in and accepting it. He felt her body turn inward to face him better. He felt her soft hands tentatively weave into his hair. He felt the way her heart raced in a battle against his own. He felt the lean muscles of her back as he gently held her. He felt the atmosphere shift to something much stronger and deeper than the light banter they had before. She parted first undoubtedly needing some air, but as soon as she did he dove back in only to be pushed back by a finger to the lips.

Her giggle was ringing in the air and he fell for her more just seeing her flushed, giggling form.

"Come on wise guy. We need to help Conbolt over there." He groaned in mock frustration and tried to whine but she was already walking towards the battered man, hips swaying slightly. He released a joyous bark of laughter and followed behind her, ready to take on more adventures.


	5. Chapter 5

Naturally, as Lucy lay upon the bed in her small city apartment a few weeks past their first date, Lucy was happy to reminisce about the joyous time they had on said date. Even in the backlash of a bear attack, Natsu had found ways to make her laugh.

When Lucy had approached Mr. Conbolt, who she soon learned was the flirtatious Macao, she had helped him sit up and tried to get him to focus on her. Apparently Macao had always lived by the phrase: "never miss an opportunity to pick up a girl." Lucy, being naïve and sweet, did not understand his intentions at first.

"Mr. Conbolt, I apologize but I need you to get up. You may have hit your head quite terribly and we need to get you to the hospital."

"I am dead." He had proclaimed. "For surely, you are an angel, but I have never seen such a shapely angel."

Lucy had simply blushed and thought that the delirium of his unconsciousness had not worn off. So, she helped him stand, which he did quite well, and then went to lift his arm over her shoulders. However, being yanked roughly to the side, she looked up to see an angry Natsu with his arms wrapped around her protectively and a pair of hardened onyx eyes staring accusingly at the battered Macao.

With a small shrug and a chuckle, Macao had disregarded his boss's concern and claimed: "Not my fault you left her. That woman needs a man, not a boy." Instantly, Natsu's body had tensed and he looked prepared to fight. His eyebrows reaching towards each other making noticeably painful creases in his forehead made his face contort into what Lucy could only describe as that of a very irate dragon.

"What did you say?" His voice was tight and clearly he was straining for self-control.

Oblivious to the active volcano before him, Macao responded gruffly; "I was just saying that it isn't my fault if you didn't make a move. So since it is highly unlikely you'll ever get a girlfriend, she is technically up for grabs. Besides you think you could score that girl? Yeah right." Letting out an enormous chuckle, it was clear to Lucy that Macao was a good man and a close friend of Natsu's but he also had a very lecherous spirit and the inability to read the atmosphere.

With that in mind, Lucy giggled inwardly and reached up to cup Natsu's face. Using her thumbs, she gently pressed the wrinkles between his eyebrows and on his forehead away. Natsu visibly relaxed and allowed his softened eyes to shift onto her face. In them he saw a determined look that confused him slightly until he caught sight of the devilish smirk making its way onto her lips. Without question he released her and observed.

Lucy took a deep, longing breath and turned to Macao who was very confused by the turn of events.

"Decided to back down Natsu?" Macao looked triumphant for a moment before he saw amusement play across Natsu's face.

"Look here Mr. Conbolt. I am unaware of Natsu's dating history, as well as his feelings on female protagonists; however, what I am aware of…" Lucy snapped her fingers in front of Macao's face, whose eyes were still glued to Natsu. "Look at me when I'm talking to you…is the blatantly obvious fact that you view me as a prize to be won. I shall have you know that I find it incredibly believable that he could as you say 'score' this girl because we were in fact on a date when we heard you screaming like a little girl." Macao's bewildered eyes again flashed to Natsu, who was grinning goofily at Lucy.

"And so," Lucy began again "seeing as my boyfriend and I are responsible for saving your life, a thank you is in order. Also…" She paused momentarily only to rear back and punch him in the stomach "…that is for talking about me in front of my face; you chauvinist!"

Macao doubled over and faintly recognized Natsu's boisterous laughter mixing with a ringing giggle. Glancing up, he saw that Natsu had embraced her again and was clearly congratulating her. Macao caught the exclamation "Definitely not damsel!" which resulted in a peal of laughter from the girl. He was thoroughly confused but noted that Natsu seemed ecstatic. His smile was the brightest he had worn since his father's death and Lucy was practically glowing. When Natsu ended his chorus of laughter, a contented smile settled on his face, clearly happy to just watch her be happy.

He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss that still managed to convey all he was feeling. Lucy blushed a deep crimson and grabbed Natsu's hand. Mostly untangling herself, Lucy turned towards Macao and, with a curt "Come on pervert we need to go," she took off hand-in-hand with Natsu.


End file.
